2012 Map of Caliente Mountain

About this map

Oil extraction and ranching define this high-desert corridor of Santa Barbara County. The Taylor Canyon Oil Field and Government Eighteen Oil Field are situated along the northern slopes of the Caliente Range, while the Russel Ranch Oil Field sits in the valley below. This industrial activity contrasts with the traditional land use of the Washburn Ranch and Selby Ranch, which occupy the more open reaches of the landscape. The geography is shaped by the Cuyama River as it winds past Whiterock Bluff and Chalk Mountain. Isolated water sources, such as Black Sulphur Spring and Goat Spring, provide rare points of relief in this arid terrain. The map also traces deep drainages like Morales Canyon and Schoolhouse Canyon, which cut through the uplifted ridges toward the prominent peak of Caliente Mountain.